Couple killed by falling tree while seated at campsite picnic table, Wisconsin cops say

A couple who had been together for 12 years were killed on Sunday, May 29, when a tree toppled onto them as they were camping, Wisconsin cops say.

Sandy Michael Langseth II, 39, and April Marie Sheldahl, 45, from White Bear Township, Minnesota, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Price County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin.

Deputies say Langseth and Sheldahl were seated at a picnic table while camping along Flambeau River when the tree fell on top of them. A third person seated at the picnic table was uninjured, as was a fourth person who was at the campsite, the sheriff’s office said.

Fishermen aided the campers until first responders arrived. One of them, according to deputies, noticed the wind pick up in the area about 10 minutes before they heard the tree fall, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.

An obituary for Sheldahl states she “enjoyed being a mother, laughing with friends, being outside, campfires, fishing, gardening, flowers, plants and being with friends and family.”

A celebration of life ceremony for the couple will be held on Thursday, June 2, the obituary states.

Price County is about 165 miles east of the couple’s hometown, which is a Minneapolis suburb.

This story was originally published June 2, 2022 at 1:14 PM with the headline "Couple killed by falling tree while seated at campsite picnic table, Wisconsin cops say."